Follow UsEver since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 trade window has opened up, talks of player movement have dominated the T20 cricketing space. And, in that context, another set of discussions have turned towards a probability of how much the in-form players could fetch in the auction, if they were to be released by their franchises.
Here are three such young and upcoming players who have the ability to break the banks if they are released by their current franchises.
Part of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise for IPL 2025 as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s Mitchell Owen would be a hot property if released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Since the end of IPL 2025, when he played just one game, Owen has been at his best in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, smashing 313 runs and taking 14 wickets in 11 games, powering his team, the Washington Freedom, to the finale.
In this tournament, the 23-year-old has struck at 195 and averages 12 with the ball in hand. It is his ability to be useful with both bat and ball that can give him a handsome contract.
While Owen has shown his prowess in the T20s, South Africa's dashing left-hander Lhuan-dre Pretorius did it in Tests against Zimbabwe, smashing a century on debut.
Not only that, Lhuan’s T20 numbers are not too bad either, as he smashed 397 runs in 12 games for Paarl Royals in SA20 2025, before getting picked by the Rajasthan Royals as Nitish Rana’s injury replacement.
He has shown maturity beyond his age, and the 19-year-old with additional skills of wicketkeeping could be in a lot of demand in the IPL 2026 mini auction.
Donovan Ferreira is another South African who has proven his worth in the MLC 2025. Striking at 225, the 26-year-old has smashed 216 runs at an average of 36 and an outrageous strike rate of 225.00. It feels like Ferreira is someone on the verge of having a monstrous IPL season, so expect him to fetch big bucks should Delhi Capitals release him.